Cloth clamp



- shown in Figure 1.

Patented Nov. El, i322.

xii W359i@ PATENT @FFHCQ BARNETT RUBINSTEIN, 0F ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

\ CLOTH CLAMP.'

Application led July `1G,

To all whom it may concern.:

I Be it known that I, BARNETT RUBiNsTniN, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at the city of St. Louis, .and- State of Missouri, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Cloth Clamps, of whichthe following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as wlillenable others, skilled in the art to which it appertains, to make anduse the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, formingpart of this application.

This invention relates to clamping devices for holding the fabric inposition while it is being cut or spread upon the table, and is animprovement upon the clampI for cloth cutting machines disclosed inLetters Patent of the United States No. 1,389,320, granted to me August30, 1921.

rihe objects of the present invention are to provide a cloth clampingdevice which can be used at any point on the table intermediate its endsas well as at the ends of the table, and which device is detachable sothat it can be removed from the table when not in use, thereby leavingthe surface thereof free from obstructions and projections.

Further objects of my invention are to provide a device of the classdescribed which can be eiiectively used in connection with a table ofany width Without distorting or affecting the efficient operation vofthe clamp-A ing bar and to provide actuating means for said clamping barwhereby the latter can be moved upwardly asufficient distance to clearthe ends of the fabric and permit said endsy to resume their normalpositions on the table so that said bar upon its return movement willautomatically engage and clamp theends of the fabric in position. -1

With the foregoing and other. objects in view, my invention consists lincertain novel features of constructionand arrangements of partshereinafter more fully described.

and claimed,` and illustrated in the accomy panying drawings. in which-Y Fi re 1 is a plan view of one end of a. cutting table' showing thefabric-'clamp .in position thereon. A

Figure 2 is a plan view of an intermediate` portion of a cutting tableand showingv the',

location of the clamping bar. Figure 3 is a front elevation of thetable,

1921. Serial No. 485,348.

Figure 4 is a longitudinal vertical cross section taken on line 4-4 ofFigure 1.

. Figure 5 is a fragmental vertical cross section of a table and thecloth positioned thereon and showingvthe position of the clamping barbefore the same is actuated.

Figure 6 is a similar view of the bar in clamping position and showingin dotted lines said bar in its eXtreme upward position.

Figure 7 is a vertical cross section taken on line 7,--7y of Figure 1.

Figure 8 is a vertical cross section taken longitudinally through thetreadle and showing the adjustable connections between said treadleandthe adjusting means.

Referring by numerals to the laccompanying drawings, 10 designates avcutting table which is arranged to receive a cloth 11. This table isgenerally of a predetermined length to receive bolts of cloth when thesame are spread thereon. In spreading the bolts, the ends of the clothare placed at the front or lefthand end of the table and are clamped inposition so that the operator may properly arrange the cloth on thetable f The clamping means consist of a clamping bar v14,-transverselydisposed` on top of the table and movable vertically by means of rods 15which extend upwardly through the table and have their upper ends seatedin the ends of bar 14. These ends 16 of rods 15 are threaded and arereduced in diameter so as to form shoulders 17 against which the ends ofbar 14 are forced by means of nuts 18 which arefscrew-seated on thethreaded ends 16. .The vertically disposed openings formed in table 10for the passage of rods 15 arelined with tubular members 19 which formbearings for said rods and eliminate. friction -or binding action andmaintain rods 15in proper operative alinement. The lower ends of theserods which extend downwardly below the table are threaded, as indicatedatq20,and are seated in the ends of a transverse member 21 located `asuitable distance below table 10.y Nuts 22 are screwseated onthethreaded ends 20 above and below each end ofthe vtransverse barv 21so that the latter can be adjusted verticallv with respect to rods 15y.by moving nuts 22 up or down on the threaded ends 20.

Eye bolts 24 have threaded engagement with transverse member 21 adjacentto each rod 15 andl are locked inl position by locknuts 25. These eyebolts are presented dovvn- Wardly, and connected to each eye bolt is theupper end of la contraction sprinig't, 'the lower end of 'which is'anchored v'tothe hoor by means of an eye bolt 27. Springs26 'are undertension and tendto :heldthe.'clamping` lvertically on transverse 'member21.

Extending upwardly from member 21, and spaced equidistant from `rods 155are eye bolts 28 provided With l'ock. nuts 29. Pi'votfaill'yv connected'to'eye bolts 'V28 are the lower ends' or' vertically disposedfiinlzsB0, to .therupper ends of which are piv'ota'lly connectedthe outer ordivergent ends of arms 321. Y.IDepending 'from the 'underside oftablelll are bearings 32 provided With a vertically dis? posed series'of apertures Vor seats 34,*W'hic`h are .adapted to receive 'screws Aorpins'Bb, the

latter forming pivotal supports for "arms 31. Each `arm 31 is providedwith Aa longitudinally disposed series of apertures 36 designed toreceive a pin or screw 35. Tlfiusfb'y removing ya pin,85 arms 31 canbe:adjusted longitudinally by bringing oneof the otherl apertures 36inalinemfent Withapertu're l34, or vertically by transferring 'the 'pin 35to v another of said 'apertures t34.

The Vinner ends of ar'InsBl are `'connected 39, said chain forming aflexible `'connection betiveen the upper end of li'nk B8 and pin 40seated in the inner ends oit 'arms l3l. These inner ends arelpreferablyjoined Atogether'by a` block 4l secured Jthereto in any {suitable mannerso as to .reinforce and sfilen said ends. If desired, .arms 31 could4becast in one piece or formedby bending. a bar to suitable shape. Thelower 'endi'of link 38 is providedivith an aperture "in whichlisse'a'te'd afhook 42, the low-er end 'of 'which isthre'ade'd andcarries a .nut 44.

j f The rear end 'of treadle is piv-otaflfly mounted in bearing45.eXtendingnpvvardly from 'the vflo'or. That :portion of the .trea'd'lewhichis immediately heiow flink' 3e :is ipr'ovided 'vvithalongitudinal'l disposed slot 46 and downwardly presente@ non-oircularrecesses 47. -Slot 46 permits thepassage of.

the shank of 'hook .42, therethroughjso that the Anut 44 'carriedlgbyth'e flower end `of hook 42 vcanv enter and be seated in vany. l'one orrecesses 47 thereby providing fanzeasy fadjustmentof link-38With'respect toF'thepivot-V almsupport of treadle?.

In :cutting out lots fot j Toth iforfshirtg'b'oits of cloth are spreadupon 'the tablelin -rayers necessary to manually operate the clampingmeans after each positioning of the ends of the cloth at the respectiveend of the table. By use of my device, the ends of the cloth are placedon the table as 'shown in Figure 5', 'and tre'adle '37 is thenoperatedtobring the clamping bar`14 into the position shown in dottedlines in Figures 3 and f6.' The -upi Ward movement ofbar 14 carriesl'the ends of the cloth `upwardly vuntil they are -clear of bar:14,"ivhereupon they vWill fallback 'into their proper posi'ti'onjfon-table r'O.z `When pressure is removed from the treadle 37, bar

14"'islrele'ased. an'dunder the i'inrluence of springs "26', Willmove'downwardly and ven-v clamping bans 14'can 'be moved to'any positionon'the table by removing nuts T8 from the threaded Aends o ii rods '.15'so' 4that the clamping bar1'4'can befli'ltted and moved to the 'desiredposition, While rods l5 willmove downwardly, `thereby leaving the table-free from any projections.

A. clamping devicev constructed 'in accordance with my inventionV issimple -in y'operation and inexpensive to manufacture, and can be veryAeasily 'removed from ft'hetabi'e When not in use. j ""f `.Obv'i'ously,various yhanges vin rthe -from and rconstruction of ymy improvedvcl'an'rping device can `beinafd'e 'and substituted Irfor those hereinshown and described without departing from my invention, and 1 donotwish to be limited ft'o` 'the mspec'ifficeonstruction herein.described.

v.llhat I lclaim is: f 1n fa cloth'olampi-ng device, the confidi` nation'ott table, a'elamping doar transversely mounted thereon .and movable'vertically with respect thereto, rods -d'e'tachalbly' lse cured 'to theends of said bar l and leztending downwardly through said table, 'atransverse member adjustably connected fto ft-he lower' ends Sodi".`said' rods, contraction Vsprings iconn'eetedatftheir upper ends to said'transverse member and having their l'olyver rends vanchored Vto thefiloni', fa l"pluralityI fofi-levers pivotally supported on the'underside off's'aifd table, links connecting the free ends of saidlevers with said transverse member at points equidistant Jfrom thepoints of attachment of said rods and said transverse bar, and treadlefor operating said. levers.

2. In a cloth clamping device, the combination of a table, open endedtubular members vertically disposed therein, rods mounted for verticalmovement in said tubular members, a clamping bar detachably secured tothe upper ends of said rods, a transverse member detachably carried bythe lower ends of said rods, contraction springs having their lower endsanchored to the licor, and their upper ends adjustably iXed to saidtransverse member, whereby said clamping bar has a tendency to movetowards said table, a plurality of upwardly presented members adjustablyseated in said transverse member and in spaced relation with the pointsof connection between said rod and said transverse member, linkspivotally connected to said upwardly ex tending members, bearingsdepending Jirom the underside of said table, and foot-operated leversmounted in said bearings and pivotally connected to said links.

3. In a cloth clamping device, the combination of a table, rods mountedfor vertical movement in said table, a clamping bar detachably securedto the upper ends or" said rods, a transverse member adjustably carriedby the lower ends of said rods, contraction springs having their lowerends anchored to the oor and their upper ends adjustably secured to saidtransverse member, a bearing Xed to the underside of said table, a leverpivotally mounted in said bearing and having a plurality of pivotalconnections with said transverse member, said lever being adjustablevertically and longitudinally relative to said transverse member, atreadle, a link extending upwardly from said treadle andhavingadjustable connections therewith, and flexible operativeconnection between the upper end of said link and the rear end of saidlever.

4. In a cloth clamping device, the combination o'f a table, rods mountedlor vertical movement in said table, a clamping bar detach ably securedto the upper ends of said rods, a transverse member adjustably carriedby the lower ends of said rods, springs connected to said transversemember and adapted to move said clamping bar downwardly against thetable, a plurality of upwardly presented members adjustably seated atspaced intervals in said transverse member, links pivotally connected tosaid upwardly presented members, bearings de pending from the undersideof said table, levers pivotally mounted in said bearings and havingtheir front ends pivotally connected to said links, a link operativelyconnected at its upper end to said levers, a treadle having a pluralityof downwardly presented seats, and an operative connection between saidtreadle and said link, said connection beingI adapted to be displaceablyseated in any one of the seats oi said treadle.

n testimony whereof hereunto affix my signature this 12th day of July,1921.

BABNETT RBINSTElN.

